Refrigerator van



Oct. 24, 1933. G. LA cAu`zA REFRIGERATOR VAN Filed Aug'. e, 19304 2 sheets-sheet 1 Oct. 24, 1933. G, LA cAUzA REFRIGERATOR VAN Filed Aug. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT gOFFICEv 1,932,162 REFRIGERATOR VAN Giuseppe La Cauza, Milan,` Italy Application August 6, 1930, Serial No. 473,456,

and in Italy August 7, 1929 4 claims. (ci. ca -9o) A main condition for the transport of victuals from the producing into the consuming centers is the possibility to transport in refrigerator vans. With this object in view various arrangements have been proposed, such as the utilization of ice and coolingwater. These known methods require large investments for installation and service but do not always fulfill the requirements for the transport of victuals over long distances.

The method according to this application starts from Ythe Well-known physical principle that by the evaporation of water heat is'bound, the evaporation being furthered during the travel by the travel of the running refrigeratorvan, owing to the very strong air draught produced, so that not only the refrigerator van can be cooled to suitable temperature but, further, cold can be accumulated which, when the refrigerator van is not running, can be utilized to preserve victuals.

Several embodiments of the invention and examples of application of the method arevillustratedV in the accompanying drawings inrwhich Figs. 1 and 4 show the walls of the refrigerator lvan in section.

Figs. 2 and 3 show refrigerator van.

Figs. 5 and 6 show each a longitudinal section through a refrigerator van.

The wall of a refrigerator van is constructed as shown in Fig. 1. Between the permeable or porous outer wall 3, which is easily permeated by liquid and permits of a continuous evaporation of the liquid, and the impermeable inner wall 4 .of a refrigerator van a hollow space 2 is arranged designed to hold the liquid to be evaporated, such as water, aqueous salt containing diluted or concentrated solution, brine or any cold producing gas.

The outer wall 3 may be subdivided into rectangular sections or cells over the length of the refrigerator van by means of numerous small partitions, so that, when a partition of the outer wall should be damaged, only a portion of the liquid will flow out from the hollow space 2. The porous permeable outer Wall may be built of natural or artificial stones, bricks, cement or other suitable material. To reduce the danger of breakage metal reinforcing may be used.

Stationary or flexible adjustable flaps 1, similar to the flaps of Venetian blinds, serve to prevent the sun rays from striking directly onto the outer wall and at frost to protect the outer wall against cold, so that freezing of the liquid in the hollow space 2 is prevented.

each a cross section of a Fig. 4 shows vertical 'stones or bricks, designed to accommodate the liquid and forming at the same time the porous permeable outer wall and the space are made in one piece. y

Fig. 2 shows in cross section the inner arrangement of a refrigerator van. From the outer side towards the inner the van comprises the Venetian'blind-like flaps 6, the permeable, por-k ous outer wall 7, the space 11 filled with liquid, the impermeable inner wall 5 forming` a good conductor of heat.

If the refrigerator van is to be used forthe transport of frozen victuals, it is advisable to insert one or several insulating auxiliary walls 8, in order to prevent freezing of the liquid in the space, owing to rapid transmission of cold.`

This auxiliary wall or walls may also be mounted in front of the porous or permeable outer wall or `coincide with the same. In this manner thev interior of the Arefrigerator van vis protectedagainst the winter frost. In this case an evaporating liquidsuch as a salt solution, or brine or a liquid with low freezing point will be usedl in preference to water. l

Two spaces filled with liquid or cold producing gas might for instanceA be provided, such spaces being separated the one fromthe other by an insulating wall or may form a double hollow space and be subdivided into narrow intermediate compartments by means of insulating material. Also in these cases the permeable porous wall will remain the outer wall.

As shown in Fig. 2 the whole roof of the refrigerator van may be used to form a space filled with liquid. Lateral openings in the outer side of the refrigerator van permit the inflow and outflow of the air. In case the whole roof is filled with liquid and only the space in the center and the lateral triangular spaces remain free, these spaces might be constructed to serve as evaporating space, lateral openings in the outer side of the refrigerator van being sufcient for the air circulation.

The roof of the refrigerator van might also form the permeable porous outer wall, the space filled with liquid and the impermeable inner Wall. In this case a protecting sheet metal plate is preferably arranged on the outer side of the refrigerator van, the several sheet metal strips being spaced from one another in order to facilitate the access of air.

Fig. 3 shows on the roof of the refrigerator van the partition filled with liquid, and at the center a compartment is arranged designed to hold the liquid or the cold producing gas.4

Fig. 5 shows an arrangement for lling the refrigerator van with water. A feed reservoir is arranged on the. refrigerator van, from which the space between the outer wall and inner wall is continually supplied with water in accordance with the evaporation of the water. An outflow 14 serves for the discharge of excess water. On refrigerato-r vans with roof cooling the outow or discharge opening must be arranged accordingly.

According to Fig. 6 the liquid for filling the refrigerator van is taken from a vessel on the floor through the intermediary of acock 12. A lling funnel and closing element 13 are further provided in order to carry through the filling ofthe refrigerator van in the station by the same means as used for the locomotive.

The door of the refrigerator van is constructed similar to the construction of the outerwalls and the doors may be single or double doors.Y

As already mentioned the evaporating of the liquid or cold producing gas from the space takes y place on thepermeable porous outer wall, owing to thel enormous air draught .producedrby the running of the refrigerator van,whereby at the evaporating the heat is bound and the impermeable inner wall is cooled so that, as it is a good conductor of heat, this inner wall transmits cold to the interior of the van. For evaporating the water the air draught producedl by the movement r of the train is utilized, so that the interior of the van is cooled to a higher degree than when the van is at standstill, in which case the evaporation takes place very slowly. The height of the liquid column of the space must therefore be dimenf sioned so that, when the refrigerator vanis running, a certain quantity of cold is accumulated which at the standstill of the refrigerator van may he consumed.` `The dimensions ofthe liquid column must-however be brought into accordance with the constructionpossibilitiesof the refrigerator van, the dimensions, of the liquid column being for instance greater on account of the said requirements.

I claim: l, i LA cooling device .for vehicles for conveying goods, particularly rail vehicles, comprising in combination with a vehicle frame hollow walls subdivided into cells and surrounding said Vehicle frame, the walls being composed of a permeable porous outer portion, and an impervious good heat conducting inner portion adapted to accommodate the evaporating liquid between said portions. Y,

2, A cooling device for Vehicles for conveying goods, especially rail vehicles, in which the air draft is utilized for evaporating the liquid when the vehicle is in motion, comprising in combination with the vehicle frame, hollow walls surrounding said vehicle frame, with the outer wall formedby vertically arranged hollow bricks with continuous channels for receiving the liquid to be evaporated, and an impervious good heat con- Y ductingrinner wall to which the hollow bricks are I connected.

3. A cooling device for vehicles for conveying goodaparticularly rail vehicles, comprising in oonfibination with'a vehicle frame, hollowwalls subdivided into cells andl surrounding said vehicle frame, the walls being composed of `a permeabley porousv outer portion, an impervious good heat conducting inner portion adapted to accommodate the evaporating liquid betweensaid por,

tiens, and manuallyk controlled means on the exposed surfacerof the outer wall for regulating the degree 4of exposure of said outer wall to the air draft.. n I

4r. A cooling device for vehicles` vfor conveying goods, vparticularly `rail Vehicles, comprising in combination with a vehicle frame, hollow wallssubdivided into cellsand surrounding ,said Vehicle frame, the walls being composed of apermeable porous .outer portion, an impervious Vgood heat conducting inner portion adapted to accommodate theevaporating liquid between said portions,

and movable flaps onthe exposed surface of the,

outer wall for regulating the degree of exposure 0f said. outer wall to the air draft.

' GIUSEPPE v*LA oAUzA. 

